Telephone hand set



W. C. KIESEL.

TELEPHONE HAND SET.

APPLICATmN FILED Dams. |919.

Patented Ami, 155

WALTER C; KIESEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY,

INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TELEPHONE HAND SET.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgnfd Allg. 15, 1922i Application led livecember 8, 1919. Serial No. 343,321.

v. l To all 'whom zt may' concern.'

Be it known that I, lVALTnR C. KinsEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York. in the county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improveiinents in Telephone Hand Sets .(for which I have filed an application y lof conditions. Telephonic hand-sets are used under a variety of conditions and are often subjecteduto exceedingb7 rough treatment. For these reasons it has been the general practice to make the handle of these sets and the transmitter and receiver casings of metal. ll'vhile such constructions are sat isfactoi'y under some conditions, it has nevertheless been found that sets having metallichandles are decidedly uncomfortable when used in cold locations. This is particularly true on taking hold of the handle with the vbare hand when the temperature of the handle is 'below freezing, and often results in injury to the user' due to his hand freezing fast to the handle. Similar injuries are also found to Aoccur to the ear and lips of the user With handsets employing metallic ear and mouth pieces.

The use alone of non-metallic substances such hard rubber or bakelite for these parts While satisfactory in preventing freezing between the flesh of the user and such parts, yet so reduces the mechanical strength of the handle as compared with former metallic handles that they do not possess the y necessary strength to successfully withstand the extremely severe usage to which they are subjected, as, for example, in front line military operations. The necessity of providing Aspace Within the handle throughout its length for the running ofthe usual cord conductors has also been a further factor in reducing the strength of such handles.

The present invention overcomes this mechanical difficulty by embedding Within the handle during its manufacture one or more conducting strips which in addition to servinfr as electrical conductors also serve to reinforce and to thus strengthen the handle.

The electrical .conductors which were formerly a cause of Weakness in the handle are thus converted into a source of strength and further provide va construction in which all the connections of the usual cord conductors can be made at one end of the set. By the use of insulating material for the handle, the necessity of separately insulating the conductingstiips from each other and from the handle is no longer present: this being done naturally by the enclosure of the strips by the material of the handle during manufacture.

As a further improvement in hand-sets the present invention also contemplates the manufacture of the transmitter-or receiver casing or both of the same non-metallic matertilal as the handleand in one piece therew1 Referring more specifically to the drawdings, 111g. l is a longitudinal section on the' line I-I ofFig. Q of a hand-set `embodying the presentv invention; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof with the housing for the cord conductors removed; Fig. 3 is a. longitudinal section of a hand-set having the transmitter and receiver casings of thesanie material as the handle and formed in one piecetherewith; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section of a modified construction in Which the fastening means for securing the receiver casing to the handle also serve as electrical conductors between thefreinforcing strips and the electrical unit of the receiver. The hand-sets 'shown comprise a handle 5 of vnon-metallic material, preferably of hard l rubber, bakelite or other suitable insulating material capable of being formed into shape by' pressing or moulding. A pair of spaced conducting strips 6 and 7, preferably of brass, extend longitudinally of the handle and are rinly embedded in and surrounded. by the material of the handle in the manufacture of the latter. These strips, While shown in Figs. 1 2 and 3 as of circular cross section may be of any suitable cross sectional shape and area to provide the desired amountof reinforcement; Fig.. 4t showing said strips as of rectangular crossl section. The material of the handle surrounding the strips 6 and 7 iiisulat'es the one from the other, While the spacing of the strips in addition also provides more uniform reinforce- `ment of thehandle.

separate receiver casing- 8, which may be the usual metallic casing or one of noncon ducting material, is secured to the upper end of the handle 5 by means of screws 9 e:`rtend` ingv through the rear wall of the casing` and engaging threaded bushings 10 embedded in the handle. lvtransmiitter casing 11 is also shown as similarly secured to the lower end of the handle v5 through the medium of screws 12 and bushings 18. Like the receiver casing 8, the transmitter casing 11 may be of metal or of non-conductinr material.

'llhe receiver casing S contains a receiver unit 14 ot any desired type and short con ductors such as 15 serve to connect the opposite 'terminals or" this unit with the conducting strips 6 and T through which the receiver unit is connected in its operatingl circuit. Electrical connection between the conductors 15 and the strips 6 and 7 can be made in a variety or ways and as shown in Fig. 1 'is accomplished by extending a threaded portion 16 of the stri as 6 and 7 through the receiver casing' 8 and employingr a nut and washer on this threaded portion to secure. its proper conductor 15 thereto. lVhen used'with a metallic receiver casing 8 the threaded portion 16 of at least one of the'strips 6 and 7 shouldl be insulated from vthis 'casing by an. insulating bushing' 17 in order to prevent short circuiting ot the receiver unit 14 by the casing' 8. llllhen the receiver casing is of insulating;` material such as the receiver 18 of Fig'. 3, theuse of insulating bushings is, of course, unnecessary.

Electrical connections between the lower ends 19 otb the strips 6 and 7 and the cord conductors of the usual iiexible cord (not shown) used with 'hand-sets, may also be madeiin asimilar manner. as illustrated in Figs. 1. 2 and 3, although other suitable fasteningl arrangements may be employed. One such arrangement is shown in Fig. 4, wherein the strips 6 and 7 instead ot having' threaded portions extending outside of the handle are each threaded as at 2O to receive a. screw 21 which may be used to directly engage another conductor such as 22 which it is desired to,electrically connect with such strip. `With this arrangement the screws`21 may also be used to hold the casing 23 to the handle 5, taking care to insulate at leastone of these screws from the casing if the latter be of conducting material.

`The transmitter casingl 11, and the transmitter casing 24 integral with the handle as shown in his: 3, each contain a transmitter unit ot any desired. type and electrical connections are made therewith Ythrough 'Flexible conductors QGand 27 secured to studs 28 embedded in and extending' through the lower portion of the handle 5. The rear vends of these studs 28 are threaded and provided' with nuts and wash-V Lease?? ers through which connection can be made between the cord conductors oi the usual flexible cord (not shown), o r other circuit connections ot' the hand-set' itselil according` to the requirements. of any particular circuit with which the set is to be used. lWhen used with a conducting casing such as the casing 11 of Fig. 1, at least one of the studs 28 must be insulated therefrom and an insulating bushing' 29 is shown 'tor this purpose.

rlhe ends 19 of the strips and T andthe rear ends of the studs Q8 are closely Grouped at the lower end of the handle to iacilitate connection with the flexible cord and are protected by a housingl- 30 secured -to the handle 5 by a screw 31 engaging a threaded bushing' 32 embedded in the handle. rllhis housing` 8() may, it desired. be Jformed of metal as illustrated in Fig. 1, as may also the casings 8 and 11. inasmuch as there is little chance of these parts being contacted with in the use of the instrument: but the ear piece 35 and the mouthpiece 36 as well as the handle 5 are all preferably ot nonmetallic substances such as hard rubber or bakelite in order to prevent injury to the user from contact therewith. as previously explained.

By employ/'ingy the general construction shown in Fig. 1, but forming the housing 30 and the casings 8 and 11 oi.: non-metallic material a hand-setis produced in which all the exposed parts would be ot non-metallic material, and with" such a hand-set danger of injury tothe user from freezingr his flesh thereto isentirely eliminated. and a set ot uniform appearance provided.

the construction shown in Fig. 3 wherein the casing'sl and 24 are formed of the same material as the handle 5 and in'one piece therewith. This form has the further advantage of simplicity'and materially reduces the cost ot the set and the amount of labor necessary for its assembly, due. to its unitary construction. Such a set also, due to there being no metallic parts exposed` eliminates any danger of electric shock to the usci'.

llllhat is claimed is:

1. A hand-set handle having a rigid electrically conducting strip embedded in and extending` longitudinally ot the handle to reinforce the handle and Ydesigned for in- The same advantages are also present in clusion in the electrical circuit ot' the handnally of the handle to reinforce the handle and desi nedl for inclusion inthe electrical circuit of the hand-set.

4. A hand-set handle-.of insulating maing the electrical device and forming apart.

- j of insulating material extending betweenv terial having a plurality of bare electrically conducting strips embedded in and extending longitudinally of the handle in spaced relation to one Ianother to reinforce the handle and each designed for inclusion in the electrical circuit of the hand-set.

5. A hand-set handle formed of molded. insulating material having an electrically conducting strip molded in and extending ing, a transmitter casing, an electrical device in one of the casings, a solid handle eX;

tending between and uniting the casings, and

- a conducting strip embedded in and extending longitudinally of the handle between the casings, to reinforce the handle and forming a part of the electrical circuit of the device in one of the casings..

8. A hand-set comprising a transmitter casing, areceiver casing, an electrical de- Vicein one of the casings, asolid handle of insulating material extending between land uniting the casings, and an electrically conducting strip embedded in and extend. ing longitudinally of the handle between the casings to reinforce the handle and having a portion extendingintothe casing containof the electrical circuit ofthe device.`

v 9. A hand-set comprising a transmitter casing, a receiver casing, .an electrical device 1n one'of the casings, a solid handle and uniting the casings, and an electrically conducting strip embedded in and extending longitudinally of the handle between the Vcasings to reinforce the handle having one end portion extending into the casing containing the electrical device and electrically connected therewith and having the other end portion extending exteriorly ofl the handle forljelectrical connection in the circuit of the electrical device.

l0.-A hand-set comprising avhandle, an

electrically conductingv strip embedded in and extending longitudinally of the handle to reinforce said handle and designed for inl.

y clusion in the electrical circuit ofthe handforrned 'in4 one set, and a transmitter casing` piece with-said handle.

11. A hand-set comprising a handle, an electrically conducting strip embedded in and extending longitudinally of the-handle to reinforce saidfhandle and designed for inclusion in the electrical circuit of the handset, and an apparatus casing formed in one 12. A hand-set .comprising a handle, an

Aelectrically conducting strip' embedded in and extending longitudinallyof the handle to' reinforce said handle and designed for inclusion in the electrical circuit of the hand set, a transmitter casing, anda receiver cas ing, the handle and the transmitter and re- -ceivercasings being all formed together'in vone piece. I f

13. A hand-Set comprising a solid handle, e

a transmitter casing, .a receiver casing, the handle and the transmitter andreceiver casings beingv of like materialand all formed together 1n one piece, and a Strip of electric-ally conducting material embedded inV and extending longitudinally of the handle between the casings to reinforce the handle and to form a part of the electrical circuit of the hand-set.

In witness whereof, I my name' thislth. day `of'December A.' D., 1919. Y K

v WALTER C.' KIESEL.

J" hereunto subscribe -vo piece with said handle. 

